Canada's Eugenie Bouchard sues USTA after US Open fall

Bouchard, who was forced to withdraw from the tournament prior to her fourth-round match and subsequently pulled out of her comeback event at the China Open due to dizziness, is seeking damages from the USTA and USTA National Tennis Centre.

The lawsuit alleges negligence and that the 21-year-old fell on “a slippery, foreign and dangerous substance” in the locker room.

Bouchard’s lawyer, Benedict Morelli, told the New York Times that they could be seeking damages worth “millions and millions” of dollars after she suffered a head injury from the fall.

Morelli claims that the substance Bouchard slipped on was a cleaning agent intended to be left on the floor overnight when the room would no longer be used.

The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, includes the allegation that the world number 39 "was caused to slip and fall on a dangerous condition created by the defendants in the physiotherapy room attendant to the women's locker room".

It adds that Bouchard sustained a "severe injury to her head, including, but not limited to, a concussion".

It is claimed the defendants either caused or should have known about the floor condition, and that Bouchard was not made aware that it could present a potential issue.

The lawsuit also claims that the injury caused her to withdraw or retire from the subsequent Japan Open, Wuhan Open, China Open and Hong Kong Open tournaments, resulting in a fall of 13 ranking places.

It claims that Bouchard continues to suffer pain as a consequence of the fall, resulting in medical costs, a loss of income and that it affects her quality of life.

According to the AP, the USTA has declined to comment on the lawsuit.